Publications related to Elasto-plasticity of unsaturated soils : laboratory test results on a remoulded silt

Insights from an extensive triaxial testing campaign on a shale for comparative site characterization of a deep geological repository

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Eleonora Crisci

Several boreholes were drilled for site comparison of a deep geological repository (DGR) in Northern Switzerland. The main target of the exploration program was the >100m thick Opalinus Clay, the designated host rock encountered at approximately 450 to 100 ...

Elsevier2024

Micro modeling of irregular stone masonry walls using mathematical programming

Katrin Beyer, Qianqing Wang, Ketson Roberto Maximiano Dos Santos

While understanding the shear strength of stone masonry structures is important for the design and the mainte- nance, we still lack computational tools for predicting the strength as a function of the stone layout. Here we implement an end-to-end image bas ...

Springer2024

Water weakening and the compressive brittle strength of carbonates: Influence of fracture toughness and static friction

Marie Estelle Solange Violay, Barnaby Padraig Fryer, Corentin Jean-Marie Rémi Noël

Water is ubiquitous within the pore space of rocks and has been shown to affect their physical and mechanical behaviour. Indeed, water can act on the rock strength via mechanical (i.e., reducing the effective stresses) or chemical effects (e.g., mineral di ...

2024

Short-term behavior of glass fiber-polymer composite bending-active elastica beam under service load application

Thomas Keller, Landolf-Giosef-Anastasios Rhode-Barbarigos, Tara Habibi

Bending-active elastica beam is a structural configuration that is based on the elastic deformation of an initially straight beam. This deformation occurs when horizontal displacements are applied to a sliding support, causing the beam to bend into an arch ...

2024

Numerical Modeling of FRP-Strengthened Masonry Structures Using Equivalent Frame Models

Katrin Beyer, Francesco Vanin, Ivana Bozulic

The present study focuses on enhancing the seismic resistance of existing masonry structures. To that aim, the use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening serves to improve structural behaviour by attaching FRP strips to the masonry walls. Despite ...

Springer2024

Influence of model uncertainty and long term deformations in action effects calculation in reinforced concrete structures

Xhemsi Malja

Most codes of practice adopt a semi probabilistic design approach for the dimensioning and assessment of structures. Accordingly, structural safety is ensured by performing limit state verifications using design values determined with adequately calibrated ...

EPFL2024

Frictional weakening leads to unconventional singularities during dynamic rupture propagation

Marie Estelle Solange Violay, François Xavier Thibault Passelègue, Federica Paglialunga, Mathias Alexandre David Lebihain

Earthquakes i.e. frictional ruptures, are commonly described by singular solutions of shear crack motions. These solutions assume a square root singularity order around the rupture tip and a constant shear stress value behind it, implying scale-independent ...

2024

Design for demise applied to spacecraft structural panels and experiments for ClearSpace One platform

Alexandre Achille Looten

With growing awareness of the vulnerability of the near-Earth space region and the anticipated surge in satellite objects, efforts are underway to assess and implement various mitigation strategies. These aim to minimize the impact of space activities and ...

EPFL2024

Influence of fiber orientation on the tensile behavior of UHPFRC and reinforced UHPFRC under static and fatigue loadings

Jian Zhan

Ultra-high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composite (UHPFRC) is a modern class of cementitious building materials. Because of its superior mechanical properties and durability, it is increasingly used globally to rehabilitate, strengthen and mod ...

EPFL2024

Experimental and analytical investigation of shear-reinforced concrete and dowel action

Marko Pejatovic

Codes of practice can be overly conservative, particularly for the shear resistance of reinforced concrete beams with shear reinforcement when large loads act close to supports. This thesis addresses the topic by proposing a refined design approach based o ...

EPFL2024

Shear strength and shear stiffness analysis of compacted Wyoming-type bentonite

Alessio Ferrari

Wyoming-type bentonite is one of the materials to be used as part of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) in deep geological disposal facilities for the safe disposal of spent nuclear fuel.In the KBS-3 type repository, the canisters containing the spent fue ...

ELSEVIER2023

Pore-pressure coefficients for unsaturated soils: generalized effective stress approach

Lyesse Laloui, Alessio Ferrari, Angelica Tuttolomondo

Geotechnical problems with total stress changes occurring rapidly relative to the soil consolidation time can be conveniently addressed using an effective stress-based approach. For saturated states, analytical formulations of pore-pressure coefficients ad ...

CANADIAN SCIENCE PUBLISHING2023

On the Post-peak Behaviour of Remoulded and Jointed Clay Samples During Triaxial Compression Tests

Alessio Ferrari

The note presents a selection of the results of a large experimental program conducted with the aim of characterizing the shear strength of Opalinus Clay and Speswhite Kaolin in remoulded and reconstituted conditions, through the execution of unconventiona ...

2023

Incorporation of Lignin in Bio-Based Resins for Potential Application in Fiber-Polymer Composites

Mário Alexandre De Jesus Garrido, Mateus De Assunção Hofmann

Bio-based resins, obtained from renewable raw materials, are a more sustainable alternative to oil-based resins for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The incorporation of lignin in those resins has the potential to enhance their performance. This ...

MDPI2023

Drained Clay-Pipe Interface Resistance at Low Normal Stresses and Elevated Temperatures

Roba Houhou

Offshore pipelines that transport hydrocarbons under high pressure and high temperature are usually thermally insulated to maintain an elevated temperature and prevent any heat loss to the surroundings. However, the temperatures at the outer-wall of the pi ...

AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS2023

Hydro-mechanichal characterisation of bentonite/steel interfaces

Alessio Ferrari, Eleni Stavropoulou, Fabiana Sannasardo

The hydromechanical response of a Wyoming-type bentonite (MX-80) and its interface with steel was studied in terms of shear resistance under different hydration levels. A series of shear tests under constant normal stress were performed in total suction co ...

2023

The General Crack Component Model for reversed cyclic shear

David Michael Volpe Ruggiero

A growing body of research has shown that reversed cyclic shear loading of reinforced concrete (RC) causes effects that are not accounted for in monotonic behavioral models. Notable among these effects are a reduction in shear strength and significant plas ...

2023

Shearing and opening of a pre-existing discontinuity in response to fluid injection

Brice Tanguy Alphonse Lecampion, Ankit Gupta, Alexis Alejandro Sáez Uribe

We investigate the fluid-driven growth of a shear crack along a frictional discontinuity and its transition to hydraulic fracturing (sometimes referred to as hydraulic jacking) under plane-strain conditions. We focus on the case of a constant friction coef ...

2023

Equivalent Frame Models for FRP-Strengthened Masonry Buildings

Fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) strengthening can be applied to decrease the seismic vulnerability of existing masonry buildings, both with regard to in-plane and out-of-plane failure mechanisms. Experimentally, the impact of strengthening solutions has be ...

Proceedings of the 2nd Croatian Conference on Earthquake Eng2023

A Discussion on the Reliability of prEN1992-1-1:2021 Shear Strength Provisions for Fibre Reinforced Concrete Members Without Shear Reinforcement

Miguel Fernández Ruiz

The Eurocode 2 for the design of concrete structures (EN1992-1-1:2004) is undergoing a revision that will lead to the publication of the second generation of this code to be used across all CEN member countries. Therefore, the impact of the code will reach ...

SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING AG2023